Whitehouse Laboratories

"If I have to do a test, the first thing I think about is ‘Can I do it on the ElectroPuls?’ and typically the answer is yes. In fact it is often the only machine capable of doing what I want."

Dr. Nicolas Lammens

The Overview

Whitehouse Laboratories, founded by Al Weiss and Brian Mulhall, is a contracting testing lab that has become a staple for customers developing products for use in pharmaceuticals, biotech, personal care, and other FDA-regulated industries.

Valuing each relationship they hold with their customers, they found themselves searching for a new solution when a specific request came in from a customer asking for functional testing of their product.

The Challenge

Over the past seven years, Whitehouse Labs has seen a dynamic change in the packaging that pharmaceutical companies use: more auto-injectors that hold a syringe for consumers whom need to self-medicate. When pharmaceutical companies look to utilize a syringe as a container for a drug product, the syringe needs to go through qualification testing.

Not having any experience or knowledge in the specific test method requested, Whitehouse Labs didn’t have the right solution for this growth in syringe usability.

They started to look for a partner—not only of a materials testing supplier, but one that was willing to work with them and to help educate them as they were going into an new world of testing.

“We needed a partner who would help us understand how to serve our clients and was willing to work with us by teaching us this new knowledge,” says Brian Mulhall, Manager Partner, Director of Container Testing.

Because this was a growing interest amongst their customers and more throughput was required, Whitehouse Labs realized they needed to purchase multiple systems to keep up with the demand. This was an area of concern due to the necessity of result consistency from machine to machine, operator to operator.

The Solution

Listening to their concerns, an Instron team began to educate them on mechanical testing and discussing topics of consistency and alleviating those original concerns. Whitehouse Labs soon saw Instron more as a partner, not just a materials testing provided, and purchased 1 universal testing system, followed by another purchase of 2 more systems a few years later. With a smooth installation and training process, Mulhill is thankful for his close relationship with his Instron service team.

“We have developed a close relationship with our regional Instron team; we may be a smaller client of theirs, but they don’t treat us that way … It’s a great partnership.”

The Results

Now with three Instron systems in their lab—1 dual column and 2 single column testers—Whitehouse Labs is able to keep up with the influx of syringe qualification testing. They’ve also found other uses for the systems.

“Anything that requires that push or pull motion, we’ve been able to use the Instron. They systems are very versatile and this has been a big plus for us. We’ve been able to use the Instron in developing procedures for our customers because a lot of our clients have come to us with other types of syringes or packaging. And we’ve been able to develop procedures in which to qualify their devices. This is all using our Instron systems,” says Mulhill.

Keeping up with the industry demands and being able to provide the services needed, fits in line with their commitment and dedication to their customers.